Burial casket stay strap hinge



July 6, 1937. E. NEWKIRK BURIAL GASKET STAY STRAP HINGE Filed Feb. 8,1956 J l; INVENTOR.

I Il Patented July 6, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BURIAL GASKETSTAY STRAP HINGE Elmer Newkirk, St. Albans, N. Y.

Application February 8, 1936, Serial No. 62,946

4 Claims.

This invention relates to devices such as completely lined burialcaskets and has particular reference to such devices having strap meansfor limiting the opening of the covers of the burial caskets.

One object of the invention is to furnish a dei vice of the characterdescribed having improved means for reliably limiting the openingmovement of the cover and for preventing a portion of the lining, orindeed, of the means itself, from entering the hinge joint for the coverand obstructing the closing thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the nature setforth comprising a burial casket having a lining extending continuouslyalong the cover and along the interior of the casket body, together withan improved stay strap hinge so co-ordinated as to bridge across thehinge joint of the casket in opening and closing position of the coverso as to support the lining against entering the hinge joint, with thestrap element preferably positively disposed alongside of the wall ofthe casket body in the full closed position of the cover, and with thestay strap element maintained in such positions along its path of travelas not to catch on nor to obstruct the normally freely depending drapinglining.

Another object of the invention is the provi- 'sion of a device of thetype mentioned comprising a casket or container having a hinged cover inassociation with a pivotal lost motion resilient element adapted topositivelyv limit the opening of the cover and to yieldingly cushion theopening movement when the cover reaches the end of its travel to thusprevent jarring of the joints l of the casket, particularly inrelatively heavy constructions thereof. n

40, A further object of the invention is to provide a stay strap hingeof improved highly simplified construction, and a supplemental object ofthe invention is to furnish a novel co-ordination thereof with acontainer or casket resulting in en embodiment having few and simpleparts and which is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, compact,durable, reliable and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention -will become apparent asthe specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novelcombinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in 55 theirpreferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, andillustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated bythe. same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing'a deviceembodying the invention, in the closed position thereof.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the device withthe cover in full open position.

Fig. 4 is a face view of a stay strap hinge embodying the invention.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof taken on the line 5-5 ofFig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a face View of a modified stay strap hinge.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 'l-'l of Fig.6.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized whenall of its features andvinstrumentalities are combined in one and thesame structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less thanthe whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to4 which the inventionappertains, that the same may be incorporated in several differentconstructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merelyas showing the preferred exemplication of the invention.

Generally described, this invention provides a container such as aburial casket having a hinged cover, andY a continuously extendinglining freely draped across the hinge joint, together with meansdisposed beneath the lining for supporting the cover in the openposition thereof in such a reliable and positive manner as to preventthe tearing loose of ornamental stay cords frequently provided in burialcaskets and to avoid undue stretching or mutilation of the lining.l-Ieretofore, devices such as burial caskets have been provided withribbon-like bands of textile fabric interconnecting the casket body andcover across the hinge joint to support the cover in open position andto limit the opening movement thereof. However, such' bands eitherstretched unequally or in uncertain degrees or worked loose at theirpoints of connection, particularly as a result offl the sudden tensionproduced thereon in opening the relatively heavy cover of the casket, sothat the ornamentall stay cords, particularly when made of cotton as incaskets of the cheaper type,

lits path of opening movement. It will be noted would become broken, andthe casket otherwise damaged. By this invention, the above mentioneddefects are avoided, and at the same time, features of improvement areprovided that are adapted for general use.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I8 denotes a device embodying theinvention. The same may include a casket body I I, one side wall I2 ofwhich is shown to which is connected any suitable butt hinge I3 forsecuring in place the relatively heavy decorative marginal bar I4 thatforms a part of the cover I5. Extending continuously along the internalface of the cover and casket body is a lining I6 which is of relativelythick padded material, the top thin portion I1 of which is secured tothe cover atpoints in relative proximity to the region of the hingejoint I8 so that the lining will comparatively closely follow theinternal contour of the casket, and nevertheless freely drape downwardinto the body of the latter, and in close proximity to the side wallssuch as I2'thereof. It is noted that the lining is constructed withsufficient slack to permit it to move upward when the cover is opened asshown in Fig. 3.

Bridging across the region I8 of the hinge joint is a device I9embodying the invention and which may be characterized as a hinge staystrap. The same may comprise a plurality of identic plates such as 2U,2l. Each of these plates may comprise a pair of aligned ears 22receiving a pin 23 and the plates having a suitable means forsecurementthereof to the casket. For example, a prong 2li may be struck at an endof each plate so as to be adapted to be driven into a wall of thecasket,and a hole 25 may be formed in each plate adapted to receive a woodscrew such as 26 to thus strongly connect the respective plate to thecasket. It is noted that the ears 22 project beyond the adjacent end 2of the plate so as to afford ample clearance between the pintle 23 andsaid edge of the plate for a particular purpose hereinafter described.Interconnecting a pair of plates 28, 2I is a strap means 28 which mayconsist of a strip of flexible' but preferably resilient sheet metalbent at 29 to take around a pintle and reversely bent at 30 at a pointremote from 28, in order to take around a pintle of a companion plate,and the `end porl tions 3|, 32 of said strip being secured together asby a rivet 33 so as to provide a bearing portion 30 that relativelyclosely embraces the pintle received therein. By this construction, themeans 28 affords a longitudinal loop 34 along which the other pintle isfreely movable so that the lost motion engagement thus afforded permitsthe plates 2G, 2l to move toward and away from each other.

The plate 20 is secured to the wall I2 ofY the casket body as shown withits pintle 23 positioned inward of the inner face of the said wall andabove the top edge or surface v35 of said wall in order to assureclearance for the strap element 28 in its normal path of travel. 'Iheplate 2l is secured to the member I4 of the cover at a suitable distancefrom the hinge joint in order to be adapted to permit the strap element28 to clear theY longitudinal reenforcing rib 36Yof the cover and tolimit the degree of openingofthe cover Aas-may be desired. yPreferably,the arrangement is such that the longitudinal rib 36 may abutthe transversely'extending resilient or -lexible strap 28 so that thelatter may serve to yieldingly cushion the cover as the latterapproaches the endof that the part 36 may cause a degree of flexure inthe element 28 which the latter tends to resist not only by reason ofits inherent strength, but also because the tension exerted on saidelement by the weight of the cover tends to aid the element 28 inopposing the flexure mentioned. However, it is not essential for thepurposes of this invention that the strap element 28 shall contact VtheArib 36, and the arrangement may consequently be such that these partsmay be spaced from each other inthe normal full open position of thecover. f

In operation, when the cover is swung into closed position, the strapelement 28 pivots around the pintle of the relatively xed plate 20, themotions being governed by the hinge I3 so that the strap element 28moves downward coincident with the swinging motion thereof so that at notime shall the strap element 28 project unduly toward the interior ofthe casket body away from the wall I2. Thus catching and tearing of thelining I6 is avoided, a further safeguard being afforded by the roundedbearingportion l29 of the strap element. In the full closed position ofthe cover, the strap element 28 may lie relatively closely along theinside face of the wall I2. In opening movement of the cover, the`action is merely reversed, the cperation of the invention being at alltimes uniform with the path of travel of the strap element positivelycontrolled, and with the parts so relatively snugly intertting as toprevent any rattling .or any other metallic sound. If desired, thebearing portion 29 may be substantially larger in diameterY than thepintle engaged thereby .so as to thus be adapted to afford a degree ofresiliencefor cushioning the sudden tension exerted when the coverreaches the end of its opening movement. Y

In Fig. 6-is shown a stay strap hinge 40 embodyinga modification of theinvention. The same may include a pair of identic plates 4 I, eachhaving an end prong 42, a hole 43 for a wood screw or the-like, and anopening or cut out 44 at another end to thus afford an integraltransverse-pintle portion 45. Interconnecting the plates 4I is a staystrap element. 48 which may w consist of, a strip of flexibleV o rresilient metal having its ends riveted together as at 41 topro-fY videa loop, the ends whereof maybe suitably curved as shown at 48. VThecurved bearing portion 48, particularly at that `end of the strap ele- Yment `whichhappens to bethe lowest when theV thestrap element of themovements herein de-A scribed in opening and closing the casket,

While the advantages of the; inventionare most clearly apparent inconnection with devices such as burial caskets, it will be understoodthat the latter are shown hereinonly for illus-v trative purposes, andthat the invention is adapted for other uses and may be embodied indifferent forms of container andl stay strap devices,

within the. scope of the following claims. A

I claim:

1. A container including a container body, ai cover hingedly connectedthereto, a member,

means pivotally connecting the member to the cover, and means connectingthe member to the body for sliding and swinging movement, the points ofconnection being spaced inward of the hinge axis to cause the member toact in tension to limit the opening of the cover, said cover having aportion underlying the member and adapted to abut the same intermediateof the said points of connection in the open position of the cover, saidabutment between the member and said portion being yielding, and thesaid portion being coordinated with the member so as to cause saidabutment to become effective as the cover approaches its limiting openposition, and said means mounting the member and maintaining the same ina predetermined position in the open position of the cover.

2. A container including a container element, a cover element hingedlyconnected thereto, an elongated member consisting of resilient material,said member being movably engaged at its end portions with the containerelement and cover element at points spaced inward of the hinge axis sothat said member acts in tension to limit the opening of the coverelement, said member being longitudinally movable relative to one ofsaid elements to permit the cover element to be closed. and one of theelements having a portion adapted tol laterally abut the Said memberintermediate the ends thereof so that said member yieldingly resists theopening movement of the cover element as the latter approaches its fullopen position.

3. A limiting strap including a pair of plates having individualpintles, a member engaged with the pintles for interconnecting theplates, said member consisting of a one piece metallic band folded atpoints unequally spaced from the ends of the band to provide relativelylong and short portions extending from the folds to the ends of theband, said end portions overlapping each other in relative proximity toone of the fold lines, and a securing element spaced 4from the foldlines and extending through the said end portions at the region ofoverlap and through the adjacent section of the band to thus provide anelongated loop portionl at one side of the element and an ear portion atthe other side of the element, said car `portion receiving one of thepintles and the loop portion receiving the other pintle for lost motionengagement therewith along the loop portion.

4. A limiting strap including a pair of plates having individualpintles, a member engaged with the pintles for interconnecting theplates, said member consisting of a one piece band folded to provideoverlapping end portions near one end of the member, meansinterconnectingr said end portions with each other and the adjacentportion of the band to dene an elongated loop and an ear on oppositesides of said means, said ear and loop receiving respective pintles ofsaid plates.

ELMER NEWKIRK.

